Monday, August 30, 2021

A Visit to Stowe

Monday July 26, 2021                                              Most Recent Posts:
Moose River Campground              The Beautiful Homes of  Saint Johnsbury
Saint Johnsbury, Vermont                            The Fantastic Flume Gorge


Unfortunately I’m not going to finish up July before August is over but I’m trying.  Thanks for keeping your comments coming anyway.

A technical note:  My posts don’t show up well on a cell phone and the end of this one in particular may be a mess on such a small screen.  A laptop works great and I think a tablet does too.

Many people who visit Vermont want to come to Stowe for different reasons.   Skiing or to visit the Von Trapp Family Lodge are among the most popular.  People I talked to in the campground went for dinner at the lodge and shopping in the little town.


IMG_7947My reasons were none of those.  First I went to visit Moss Glen Falls where I found a 1/4 mile wooden boardwalk through prime beaver habitat, wetlands meadow and forest.  Beavers live in the ponds next to the trail and use small paths called beaver runs to move between their lodge on the main pond and Moss Glen Brook.  Of course I didn’t see any beavers since I wasn’t there at dawn or dusk.


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But I also didn’t see any evidence of beaver because the vegetation was so lush the ponds weren’t visible and neither were any beaver gnawed saplings.  I did see Joe Pye Weed and Jewelweed growing beside the boardwalk.


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IMG_7954I did read that in order to mitigate their damage, as in keep them from cutting down every sapling that comes up,  a mix of sand and paint was applied to trees along the trail.  Very clever I thought since beavers wouldn’t like sand in their food any more than we would.  But I didn’t see any painted trees either.



Once through the wetlands, the path went along the stream.

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As I climbed I got to the waterfall, I got this glimpse through the trees.

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The best views are from up here.

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The view is at quite a distance and the ledge is roped off.  I could not see any trail down below.  Perhaps the locals know of one.

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But my camera let me get closer looks at the 125 ft falls.


And even closer looks at the sections of the falls.

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Sure wish I could have gotten down there on the rocks at the base and felt the power of the water.  Perhaps I’ll investigate that possibility more if I return to the area. 

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But it sounded great even from this far away.

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On the hike back, still no beaver but I did spot this guy hiding in the blackberries.

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Secondly I went to see Gold Brook Bridge to add it to my covered bridges collection list.  Even with as many as I’ve seen, I’m not making a dent in how many there are in Vermont.

Love the sign just under the peak.


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Gold Brook is lovely as it flows under the bridge.

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I did go to the town of Stowe and walk around.  There is a central district with lots of independent stores and houses on either end of it.


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I mostly wandered the streets taking in the atmosphere.  I’m so not a shopper that I only went in one of the stores.  Although Shaw’s looked cute. I am often visually overwhelmed by so much merchandise in stores today.  So I passed by, looking in the windows.


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I know you’ve guessed that the store I went in to was the bookstore.  It’s not that it’s not overwhelming too but I’m so in my element that I don’t mind as much.

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Back out on the street I enjoyed this little bit of nature.  Bees and butterflies.
I might have had lunch in Stowe if I’d had Laurel to tell me where to eat.  I’m terrible at picking interesting places.  I don’t know how she does it so well.


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Since everyone enjoyed the Saint Johnsbury homes, here are a couple from the edge of Stowe Vermont.   I didn’t walk up and down the streets away from the commercial district so Stowe may have Victorian Beauties as well but these pretty much on the Main Street coming into town.


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My last stop was also outside Stowe where I went to see Bingham Falls in Smuggler’s Notch.  

This time the trail took me up to the top and then down to the bottom.



You definitely don’t want to fall into the ravine as you walk down the rocky trail.

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There were partial view on the way down.  It looked like a big falls.

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The views from the side or the top of a waterfall never give me a good idea of what the falls will look like from the bottom.  But they sure do whet my appetite and create excitement.

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This is a very popular place for swimming and jumping even on a Monday.  The rocks to get down to the base are huge.

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Here I’m looking back down the river from the pool.

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Looking back at the falls, this is the only photo I got with no one in it.

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This girl on the far rock jumped in at least a half dozen times.  The boy at the bottom is her brother and the girl is her friend.

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On of her many jumps. She just kept jumping and swimming back, walking over the rocks and jumping in again.   Her dad has the camera.

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Her friend watched her over and over.  Finally she got the friend over on the side where she was and up onto the rock.  But the friend wouldn’t jump and then,  all of a sudden they held hands and I almost missed it.  The picture is too blurry but it’s so cute.   What a great memory for them especially for the girl who was afraid.

What’s the new thing?  BFF??


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Can you see the girl in blue cut offs just sitting on the rocks on the left?  I hardly noticed her watching the girl on the other side.  She seemed to just be sitting enjoying the falls.

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Boy did she surprise everyone.



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What a great afternoon.  I might have jumped if David were here and I had my suit on but boy that water was cold.

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On the way back to Winnona, I stopped in at Ben and Jerry’s flagship store in Waterbury.  From the parking lot you have to walk by these giant tanks??.  I suppose this is to show the relative amounts of sugar, cream and milk used.  I don’t think they are actually full of those things but I should have asked.


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But ask whom?  Unfortunately there was no factory tour despite the fact that no one was wearing masks and Vermont has the highest vaccination rate and lowest number of cases in the country.  Also no free ice cream tastes only a line to buy ice cream and eat it outside.

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Local Ben and Jerry’s have more flavors than were here.


I was pretty disappointed with the whole thing.  Clearly Ben and Jerry aren’t running this show any more.   Here’s my one scoop in a waffle cone.  More cone than scoop.



And check out the price.  A SMALL for $7.55. 

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After my ice cream I stopped by the grave yard.

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There are lots of “dead” flavors.

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This is for all my friends in C’ville.  Dave’s flavor is in the graveyard but it had a 4 year run.

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This is my favorite of their flavors and it has had 3 runs for a total of 10 years, but is currently in the grave yard.  I hope it will be resurrected again though at these prices, I doubt I’ll give it a lick.

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I tried to get a picture of the entire graveyard but it was too big, with too many flavors.  They all have the cute rhyming epitaphs.


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Not sure if these are the girls really responsible for all that milk and cream but they were munching away in a pasture by the parking lot and definitely added the awwwww   factor.

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I’ll end with a collection of selfies.  I just cannot learn to do this right and it makes me laugh to see my efforts especially all in a row. 

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Hope you got a smile out of it too!

30 comments:

  1. Those waterfalls certainly are beautiful.

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    1. Yes William as you can see from all my Vermont posts, I love waterfalls.

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  2. That picture of the kids jumping is a good one! Did you try it?

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    1. Thanks for your comment Rob. As I said, if I'd had my bathing suit, and I wasn't alone, and the water wasn't freezing, I might well have. :-) Sure looked like fun.

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  3. Looks like a lot of fun...so you camped at Moose River while there?..makes me want to jump in and swim too but I'd probably break a hip!!!!lol

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    1. I know what you mean about breaking a hip. I did drive to Stowe from Moose River. Not that far. Glad you commented. Wish you'd signed it so I'd know who you are.

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  4. Loved the pics of the girls jumping. Great waterfalls. I never get tired of waterfalls.

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    1. I almost didn't put that one in because it was so blurry but it was just so wonderful. I'm glad you liked it. I never get tired of waterfalls either and must get back into Shenandoah National Park to see theirs.

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  5. Great waterfalls and lovely bridge.I like the picture of the girls jumping! I definitely got a smile from your selfies. Very neat visit to Stowe.

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    1. Glad the selfies gave you a smile sweetheart. It was a fun day.

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  6. You are finding such gorgeous waterfalls! I've been tempted to jump into some of the waterfalls we're finding here in NC, but the water is cold! So far I've just been taking off my hiking boots and enjoying soaking my feet.

    What a full and fun day you had! Hiking plus visiting an interesting little town sounds perfect to me. Love that adorable bookstore. And yes, if we had been together, we definitely would have found a great place for lunch! You know me so well, LOL. (Oh, and we've never figured out the art of selfies, either. I need longer arms, for one thing.) :-)

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    1. The water here is seriously cold. I don't know how those kids did it. It must have nearly knocked the wind out of them. Longer arms would help for sure. Any tips for finding great lunch spots?

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  7. You are certainly making Vermont look very enticing! I hope we are as lucky next year at finding the cute little towns, bridges, and waterfalls. I do have a local Vermonter to show me the good places to eat, and they plan to go to Maine with us as well so we shouldn't have any problems in that regard. Loved seeing the kids jumping in the pool. Who cares if the shots were fuzzy, it showed the delight of what was happening. I don't mind people in the photos, it gives places some perspective. Unless of course it is in a museum in Florence and you can't get to the art. My David shots are thick with people, of course. And...the selfies are cute. Also...I too would prefer that folks see my actual blog, but more and more I am pretty sure that doesn't happen. I read the blogs usually on the phone, while Mo and I are sitting in the living room watching news or whatever, which bores me to tears. So then, if I want to comment, I have to wait until the next day and computer time. I despise trying to comment on the tiny phone screen...hence the delay in reading and eventually getting around to commenting.

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    1. I'd love to know where in Vermont and Maine you are going. If I return perhaps we can plan a meet up. Not sure about the selfies being cut but they are funny. I'm so bad at it. I almost always read blogs on my laptop. Since I know mine looks so much better there, I assume everyone else's does too. The layout is too crowded on a phone.

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  8. Vermont is another of my favorite states. So pristine (in most places), and green. We went to Ben & Jerry's several times, and they never had factory tours, just a guide explaining the process and history. They did have tiny sample cups back in the day that they gave out. Very expensive ice cream, even in the stores!

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    1. Very interesting Laurie. The sign at Ben and Jerry's said Inside Tour and Gift Shop closed until Fall 2021. So I assumed it was a factory tour.

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  9. You'd think with the outrageous price for that ice cream cone Ben and Jerry would have made enough money to buy new tires for the motorhome!

    I wonder if I could get a bank loan to afford an ice cream cone like yours? :cD

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    1. Most expensive ice cream cone I've ever had for sure.

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  10. The falls are lovely! You had to negotiate lots and lots of roots while you were hiking. Those girls are brave, especially the one in the cut offs that looked like she was jumping in the falls. I would be afraid I'd land on a rock. The orange lilyish flower is beautiful and I love the shot of the cone flower with the butterfly. That one is frameable. There's a homemade ice cream place here and one scoop, albeit delicious, was $6.00. Love you! xxxooo

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    1. Thank you Pam. The orange lily like flower is Jewelweed and often grows near poison ivy. It's an antidote. Not sure how it's used - oil from the stem maybe.

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  11. Wow, that is some impressive waterfall, and trail to get to the view. Lovely bridge. I have the same problem in stores, too many choices. Must be a well known falls for swimming, and jumping, but I don't do cold water. I'm kind of a Hagendaz gal but also like B&J. But at that price could have bought two pints if on sale. I'm not usually happy with my selfies and think you do pretty good.

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    1. You are very generous with your selfie compliment Gaelyn. You are right about getting at least one pint for less than that cone cost.

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  12. Such pretty falls!! I love the pic of the covered bridge over the creek. Stowe is a pretty little town, I imagine it's crazy busy in the winter. I'm sorry Ben and Jerry's was such a bust!! We had a great time there and the free sample was bigger than your cone. I loved their commitment to social justice and all the information on issues they're supporting.

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    1. So I wonder what happened between your visit and mine to Ben & Jerry's oh, not that Ben & Jerry or any part of it anymore. So I guess you must have visited Stowe

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  13. What a day. The snake was my least favorite part and the selfies my most favorite. I, too, am selfie challenged.

    I do not understand the horses' speed limit. What is the use of riding a horse through a covered bridge if one cannot gallop through and hear the hooves on the wood?!?😋 Loved the waterfalls. Thank you for sharing.

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  14. Love your comment about the horses Pam. I wonder who was there to police the speed limit

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  15. Great pictures:) We really enjoyed Vermont, but did not think much of Ben and Jerrys :)

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  16. You are amazing! I just met you on a bird walk this morning. I admire your spirit and your get up and go! Peggy ‘Sue’

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  17. I just met you today on a bird walk. I admire tour spirit and tour get up and go! Peggy ‘Sue’

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  18. Ben & Jerry's has changed so much over the years since they sold to Unilever. Lots of beautiful Victorian homes in VT, I used to clean a few and loved my time at them.

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